Alex Eala powered her way into the quarterfinals of the WTA 125 Lexus Ilkley Open with a commanding straight-sets victory over Valentina Ryser as she picked up her 2nd grass-court win last night, June 12, 2025.
No more “Come from Behind Win”
The 20-year-old Filipina wasted no time asserting control as she broke Ryser twice early to build a 5-1 lead in her Round of 16 match.
Though Ryser earned break point chances late in the first set, Eala kept her composure and didn’t allow her opponent any momentum. She dictated most of the rallies with deep groundstrokes and showed increasing confidence on the fast grass surface.
Eala then wrapped up the opening set, firing an ace on set point to punctuate her dominant performance. She landed 78% of her first serves in the opener, using a mix of aggressive baseline shots and consistent pressure to force errors from the Swiss player.
Final Score of Set 1: 6-1
The second set began on more even footing, with both players exchanging service breaks in the first four games for a 2-2 deadlock. In the fifth game, the world ranked no. 230 from Switzerland was on the verge of holding at 40-30, but a crucial unforced error handed Eala a window. The world ranked no. 77 took full advantage, breaking serve to move up 3-2.
From there, the pride of Quezon City, Philippines, tightened her grip on the match. She followed up the break by holding serve for a 4-2 advantage, keeping Ryser on the back foot with relentless pressure from the baseline. Another break gave her a 5-2 cushion, and she wasted no time in closing out the contest as she ended her Round of 16 match in just under 1 hour and 7 minutes.
Final Score of Set 2: 6-2
Quarterfinals Match Versus The Veteran Rebecca Marino
With the win, Eala moves into the quarterfinal round of the WTA125 Lexus Ilkley Open.
Last June 10, she defeated Lizette Cabrera in her opening match after her disappointing grass-court stint in Birmingham Open.
Alex will now prepare for her next tough match, against a veteran 34-year-old, Rebecca Marino. Earlier, Marino was able to defeat British player Emily Appleton in 3 sets. The Canadian star is currently ranked world no. 107.
Their match is set to be played on the evening of June 13, 2025 (Philippine Date and Time).
